GRAYSLAKE, Ill. — In an effort to ensure every local child has a warm, comfortable bed and blanket, the Nimble Thimbles Unit of the Lake County Association for Home and Community Education (LCAHCE) has partnered with Illinois Extension to sew quilts for children in need.
The completed quilts are destined for Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a 501(c)(3) volunteer-driven nonprofit operating under a clear mission: "No kid sleeps on the floor in our town!®" SHP constructs and delivers fully equipped bunk beds with bedding to children aged 3 to 17 who lack a proper bed. Founded in 2012 in creator Luke Mickelson’s garage, SHP has expanded to over 400 chapters across the United States and Canada to address a national waiting list of more than 100,000 children.
On Aug. 19, members of the Nimble Thimbles Unit gathered at their local Extension office to put the finishing touches on their latest batch of quilts. The session followed an eight-hour marathon workday on Aug. 7, during which 21 women assembled six intricate quilt toppers.
Making a single quilt is a labor-intensive process. Each blanket requires 30 fabric squares—15 solid and 15 decorative—with a single decorative square featuring up to 17 individual pieces of fabric. To maximize efficiency, the volunteers utilize an assembly-line system to cut, sew, and assemble the materials. Community members support the initiative by donating fabric or pre-cutting squares, and once delivered, children are able to personally select their favorite blanket.
For Nimble Thimbles members, the motivation behind the project is simple. They shared that the "satisfaction of knowing no child has to sleep on the floor or be cold" keeps them coming back, adding that crafting the blankets shows local youth that "someone does love them. They know that this blanket was made just for them."
The effort reflects the broader mission of the Illinois Association for Home and Community Education (IAHCE), which boasts more than 3,300 members statewide who work to promote social and economic well-being in homes and neighborhoods. If you are interested in joining, ask your local University of Illinois Extension County office for the name and telephone number of the County HCE or HEA Membership Officer. They can put you in contact with the Unit closest to where you live and give you a membership form.
Pictured, standing from left to right: Nimble Thimbles members Sharon Collins, Lauri Ireland, Loreen Dresser, and Lauri Hargrove
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.